Creature of the Night
by NekoNekoMinako
Summary: When 16 year old Aerrow falls victim to one of the most deadly beings in Atmos, can he deal with what being a creature of the night entails? Aerrow x OC
1. Prologue

MJ: Started just in time for Halloween '07, I bring you this bone-chilling fanfic...

chaos: She's is currently wearing her Vampire-Queen outfit from a couple days ago at a party...

MJ: It's a cool outfit! Plus, it is helping me get inspired for this story...

chaos: Yes, but...did you HAVE to make me your victim today?

MJ: It was either you, or the plot bunny we've loving named Dark Ace.

chaos: O-kay, then...

Dislcaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks.

Prologue: The Changing

"Well, this doesn't look too good." Aerrow muttered as he looked out at the terra they had just crash-landed on. Every building looked like it was about to collapse in on itself, no signs of life anywhere - even the plants were dead. This wasn't just a ghost town...the entire TERRA was deserted, but for what reason, the Storm Hawks did not know.

"The place just looks freaky, Aerrow...There's got to be somebody here somewhere." Piper stated, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"Yeah, you're right...There's got to be at least one person on this terra...Let's split up; we can cover more ground that way. Take a communicator with you. If you get into trouble or find something, contact us." Aerrow finished, the others nodding in agreement, though Stork muttered something about "certain doom." Little did they know, a pair of scarlet eyes was watching them from the shadows...

/Aerrow, how're thing's on your side?/ Finn's voice came through the communicator, kinda scratchy from the weak signal.

"Nothing...Not even a piece of grass is alive over here..." Aerrow replied, noticing all too late that somebody was behind him until he was grabbed and thrown against a wall. "What the hell?! Let go of me!!"

/AERROW!!!/ came the voices of Piper, Finn, Junko, and Stork, Radarr squawking as he had stayed with Stork. No reply, except for the pained scream coming from Aerrow's line before it suddenly stopped...

Whoever, or whatever, was attacking Aerrow had crushed the communcator with it's foot, scarlet eyes staring right into leaf-green ones.

"Nobody can hear us now..." the thing said; you could tell it was female, but the voice was laced with venom. Before Aerrow could say anything, his head was jerked to the side and the collar of his uniform moved out of the way, revealing the flesh beneath. Aerrow's eyes widened and he gasped when four, sharp fangs sunk into his neck; he froze as he felt the blood being drained from his body.

'Didn't think I'd...die like this...' he thought as he blacked out...

Aerrow woke up suddenly, breathing heavily and feeling sweat trail down his face. The sudden action caught the others in the room's attention.

"Aerrow!!" Piper exclaimed, she and all the Storm Hawks moving to his side. "What happened?! We heard the scream through the communicator, then nothing but static came from you!" she finished.

"I...don't remember...I guess I just ran into something and in the darkness thought it was a person...Sorry if I worried you all." Aerrow replied, not wanting to tell them what had really happened. After a few more questions, they left their captain's room. Aerrow immediately went over to the mirror in his room and checked the spot where he had felt the fangs before. Sure enough, there were four puncture marks on his neck, and if he looked closer, his skin was paler than usual.

'What was...no, it couldn't have been...' he didn't finish that train of thought, thinking it must be a trick of the light or something. The clouds blew out of the way, revealing the silvery moon that hung in the sky. As moonlight filtered into the room, Aerrow froze in horror when he saw his reflection once again: like before, the puncture wounds were there, his skin was paler, but now his ears were slightly pointed, his fingernails were more claw like, and he had fangs. His fears were proven to be justified: he HAD been turned into a vampire. A small chuckle from the corner of his room caught his attention.

"Like the new look? It'll only come out at night...You can hide it with a cloaking crystal, too." came the same voice that he heard before he was bitten. Looking over, he saw a young, brown-haired woman with crimson eyes standing there; her skin was so pale, it was almost completely white. He suddenly felt very weird, and while he was trying to figure it out, he vaguely heard the girl's words.

"Feeling the bloodlust, Aerrow? Don't worry; I'll take care of you." And with that, the two were enveloped by the shadows...

MJ: So, my fellow creatures of the night, what do you think? Please, review, and perhaps I won't come at night and feast on your blood...

chaos: She won't anyway; it's just the costume getting to her brain, that's all.

MJ: Says you, chaos...says you...


	2. Chapter 1

MJ: Rising from the dark depths of my mind comes the first chapter of this haunting story...

chaos: Would you knock it off already? The whole vampire thing is starting to get annoying, Mina.

MJ: Meh, it's not MY fault you can't get into the Halloween spirit!

Disclaimer: Don't own Storm Hawks, but anything not in the series is claimed by me.

Chapter One: Learning

It happened so suddenly, Aerrow didn't know what had occured - first, he was standing in his room freaking out because he was a vampire, and now, some girl had taken him somewhere. From what he could tell, it looked like a bedroom; the dim light from the candles scattered about the room cast eerie shadows on the many objects. The strange feeling returned, and he nearly fell over from the excruciating pain that followed.

"Don't worry, Aerrow...You won't be in pain much longer..." the brunette whispered, leading him over to what looked like a human. His body tried to stop, but his mind was clouded. Before he could even understand what was going on, he had sunk his fangs into the human before him, the girl from before smirking and walking to the other side of the room, sitting down on the bed...

Aerrow froze when it was all over and he saw the now-dead human being on the ground in front of him.

'Oh, god...What have I just done?!' his mind screamed, but he was unable to voice the words. A slight chuckle drew him back to reality.

"Happens with every new vampire, Aerrow...They began denying what they've done..." she murmurred, not looking at the teenage boy behind her.

"Why...Why the hell did you do this to me?" he asked, his bangs covering his eyes as he turned his head towards the floor. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a soft hand on his cheek; he hadn't even heard her move!

"Are you wishing I had killed you?" she asked, her voice as smooth as velvet. "Why, Aerrow, whatever do you mean by that?"

"You know fucking well what I mean!!" he exclaimed, glaring at her with raging eyes. She merely laughed.

"Ah, yes...The Oath of the Sky Knight...'To protect the citizens of Atmos and keep all evil at bay,' right?" she questioned, stroking the side of Aerrow's face gently.

"Exactly. So why..."

"Who can truly tell what is good and what is evil?" the young woman asked, cutting Aerrow off mid-sentance. "It is merely what one person says compared to another. To you, Cyclonia is evil, but to Cyclonia, you are. In your legends and myths, vampires are hell-spawn...but to us, the beings who have tried to destroy us for so long - humans - are the greatest evil in the world. "Good" and "evil" are but one and the same, Aerrow." she finished, crimson eyes seeming to pierce his very soul.

"But...you prey on the people of Atmos...I've sworn to protect them...How the hell can I do both?!" he asked, still hoping this was all a dream and that he'd wake up soon.

"I was once in your situation, Aerrow...108 years ago, I was a member of the Rex Guardians...But then I was changed, much like I did to you." she replied.

"Then how..."

"I learned to adapt. Nobody would expect a Sky Knight to be the one killing people every so often, so I was safe...until people noticed that I never aged, never grew old...I was stuck in the body of a sixteen year old...I had to flee, but it was worth it...I ended up here, on Terra Dark; a Vampire Haven, if you will." the girl stated, cutting Aerrow off once again...

The next few hours were spent with Aerrow asking questions, mostly based off the stuff he read in old books about vampires. One such question got the girl laughing so hard she almost couldn't speak again!

"Oh, the sunlight thing's a common misconception, love. Our victims aren't as aware at night than during the day. We can usually last about five hours in direct sunlight before we start feeling pain. But, since we do our hunting at night, it became "common knowledge" that vampires couldn't stand sunlight." the young woman chuckled out, wiping her tears of mirth from her eyes.

"You didn't mention you had a kid with you, Autumn." a voice said from the corner of the room, startling both a bit. The girl, now known as Autumn, immediately recognized the voice.

"Dorian! You've returned!" she said excitedly, crimson eyes taking on a warmer look as the man came out of the shadows. Aerrow couldn't believe his eyes at who stood before him.

"...It can't be...Dark Ace?"

MJ: Cliffy...Yes, I know, I'm evil...

chaos: Um, any particular reason Inner MJ is going around saying brains?

MJ: Yeah, she's getting practicing her zombie thing. Why, are you scared?  
chaos: Freaked out is more like it at how stupid this all is...

MJ: Look, just because you lost the bet and have to be a penguin on Halloween is not our fault! Anyway, please review.

IMJ: Braaaaiiiinnss...

MJ: ...Or else I shall send my inner self to eat your brain...BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!


	3. Chapter 2

MJ: Okay, so, here's the third chapter...

chaos: No evil-sounding comments?  
MJ: Nope, cause Inner MJ is about to to do something...

chaos: Hm? What do you...HOLY!  
IMJ: Gotcha!

chaos: Must you do that?!

MJ/IMJ: YUP!

Disclaimer: Don't own Storm Hawks...Own Autumn and Terra Dark.

Author's note: Okay, a bunch of reviews were all like "Dude, DA's a vamp?" In my opinion, he could be. I mean, the evidence is there: red eyes, lives in the darkest place in Atmos (Cyclonia), everyhwere he goes to fight, he summons up some kind of storm with his Firebolt crystal...You get my point, okay?

Chapter Two: A New Side of an Old Enemy

Aerrow couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Dark Ace standing there, as if nothing was going on.

"When did you turn him, Autumn?" the man questioned, glancing at the young woman out of the corner of his eye.

"At least twelve hours ago...He seems to know you, Dorian. Care to explain?" Autumn asked, looking between the two. Sighing, Dark Ace took a seat, noticing that Aerrow hadn't stopped staring at him.

"For about two years now, Aerrow and I have been against each other...The whole Atmos/Cyclonia war thing...We're on opposite sides, so...You get the point." Dark Ace replied nonchalantly, red eyes closed as he reclined into the chair.

"When did you...become a vampire?" Aerrow asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"About thirty years ago...The one who got me burned up in a lava pool, though. And, before you ask, no, Cyclonis does not know I'm a vampire..." Dark Ace replied, saying that last part because he had a feeling Aerrow would ask.

"Speaking of which, why haven't you just bitten her already and rid the world of yet another maniac, Dorian?" Autumn questioned, her crimson eyes focued on the dark haired man.

"Easy. We're in the middle of a war; Cyclonis only let's me, Ravess, Snipe, and the Raptors near her...They'd suspect one of us is something were to happen. Besides, why bother? There's always a constant supply ready...Nobody even notices when a random Talon goes missing." Dark Ace said, voice calm and cool as he spole about such a subject.

"Thought you were loyal to her." Aerrow joked, smirking a bit.

"Just a mask. As long as she doesn't suspect me, I've got a steady supply of blood and a place to stay. You've been in Cyclonia before, so you know that not much sunlight gets there." Dark Ace retorted, not sure whether he liked the new Aerrow or wanted to kill him.

"Aerrow...You should probably head back...We don't want your squad getting suspicious just yet, now do we?" Autumn hinted, the look in her eyes telling Dark Ace she'd explain later.

"My squad...I almost completely forgot about them...Do you have a cloaking crystal I could borrow? You said the features only appear at night, but since it seems the place is in a constant state of darkness..." Aerrow trailed off, knowing the girl got what he was saying.

"Here. Now, to get back, just concentrate on the place you want to go, and you can pass through the shadows to that point." Autumn stated, tossing the red-head a small crystal. Aerrow nodded, and within minutes, had disappeared from view.

"You had to go and turn him, didn't you, Autumn?" Dark Ace questioned, watching as the young woman went over to a corner of the room. He smirked when she brought over two glasses of wine.

"You're not coming as often as you used to, Dorian...I was getting lonely." she replied, crimson clashing with blood.

"Hoping he'll fall into your web, Miss Black Widow?" Dark Ace teased, sipping the deep-red colored liquid.

"You know I don't like being called that, Dorian. Besides, he interests me...Young blood, if you will." Autumn replied calmly, though her eyes reflected her thoughts on the nickname.

"Young blood, indeed." Dark Ace agreed.

"Now, now, Dorian, you know you shouldn't tease me." Autumn stated, setting her glass down. "After all, we both know why you're here..."

MJ: I'm gonna leave you guessing on this one...

chaos: We noticed...and did Inner MJ have to do that?

MJ: You fell for it, chaos!

IMJ: Yeah! It is not our fault you didn't notice the person sneaking up behind you with an ice cube to put down your shirt.

chaos: I'll get you both back, just you wait...

MJ: Anyway, please, review! And, if you think you might know why Dorian (a.k.a. Dark Ace) is really visiting Autumn, well...you'll just have to see if you're right when I get the next chapter comes out!


	4. Chapter 3

MJ: BWAHAHAHAHA!!  
chaos: Oh god, she's gone insane.

IMJ: For once, I'M the sane one out of the two of us...I'm suddenly scared for my life!

chaos: Anyway, I think I'll be typing up this chapter as...Mina dances around with a black plot bunny in her arms.

Disclaimer: Read the others, peoples! It's not gonna change any time soon!

Chapter Three: Leaving Terra Dark

Aerrow had gotten used to the whole "vampire thing" fairly quickly, but the shock of learning that Dark Ace was one too was still there. He hadn't told any of his friends about it yet, and he wasn't planning on it anytime soon. He was perfecly happy with them not knowing what had happened. Yet, he also knew that if they didn't leave eventually, his squad would start to get a bit suspicious. So, he'd been recently helping in the repairs of the Condor, hoping to get them off before anything happened...

"Autumn, I think my squad's starting to get suspicious..." Aerrow whispered, watching as the girl walked over.

"I knew it'd happen eventually...We'll wait one more day; by then, I should be able to stop the barrier holding you on this terra, at least long enough for you to get off..." Autumn stated, red eyes closed in thought.

"Will I be able to see you again?" the red-head asked, hoping her answer would be yes.

"If you can shadow travel, then yes, you will be able to see me again. I stay on this terra almost every day." the brunette replied, smiling softly at the teen. She then walked over to him, staring into his emerald eyes.

"Autumn..." he muttered, not sure what she was doing. His eyes widened when she pressed her lips against his, her arms wraping behind his neck. Slowly, his own arms encircled her, pulling her against him, closing his eyes as they kissed.

"Please, come visit me sometime..." she murmurred as they broke apart, a hand threading into his ruby-red hair.

"Don't worry...I will..." he whispered, kissing her softly one more time before disappearing into the shadows, returning to the Condor and leaving Autumn behind in her room.

'Dorian...I have a feeling you were right...I hope that you aren't, though, for if it's true, they shall come after us soon...' Autumn thought before laying down on her bed, slowly falling asleep...

The Storm Hawks were surpirsed when the Condor started working all of a sudden, save for Aerrow who only acted surprised to keep his team from getting too suspicious. They immediately took off, and unbeknownst to the others, Aerrow gave one last glance at the house he knew Autumn was in, thinking about the kiss they had shared, wanting to know if something more could grow between them...

"You let him go?" Dorian asked, watching the vampire girl walk over to the window.

"He has promised to visit...I don't know...I think...that maybe I'm falling for him..." she whispered, crimson eyes closing.

"I can believe it..." Dorian stated, a smirk on his face.

"What? You think it's strange that a woman who's been alone for basically eighty years can't fall in love again?"

"Well, seeing as how the man you loved when you were bitten is the one who told everyone you were a vampire, I'm just surprised you would want to fall for someone." he replied, the smirk still on his face. Autumn sighed in exasperation, glancing at the man coldly.

"I welcome you into my home, and you ridicle me...But I can see where you are coming from...This time, though, the one who has my heart is also a vampire..." Autumn stated, still glaring at the dark-haired vampire before her. Said man merely chuckled, standing up from where he was seated and walking over.

"Just don't get hurt...I'll be back as soon as I can get a free moment." Dorian stated, ruffling the girl's hair before leaving in the shadows Autumn sighed, mulling over his words before resuming her previous activity of staring out the window.

IMJ: Alright, so this chapter's done, and there's a possibility of a beautiful romance between Aerrow and Autumn...

chaos: Possible! This doesn't mean there will be!  
IMJ: I know...now, we just have to get MJ to stop dancing with that bunny long enough to start the next chapter!

chaos: Please review...


	5. Chapter 4

MJ: Okay, I am currently duct-taped to my chair...chaos and IMJ are forcing me to write the next chapter in this story...

chaos: Of course. I'm sure your readers would like to read something new.

IMJ: And besides, YOU are the one who's supposed to be typing these things up, not us!

MJ: I get it, I get it!

chaos: Then start typing, Mina.

MJ: Meanies...

Disclaimer: JUST READ THE OTHER ONES!!! NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!!

Chapter Four: Hunter and Hunted

It had been maybe three days since the escape from Terra Dark. Aerrow surprisingly found a way to not hurt anyone but still get rid of the cravings he had for blood. Of course, it required him to steal blood from blood banks, but at least nobody was hurt or killed. The best part was his team still had yet to figure it out, and for this Aerrow was glad. And his and Dorian's masquerade was also a success; while they were somewhat friends now, they could still act like perfect enemies. Every time they met, it was the same old routine of battle, and Aerrow would always win like normal, but there was also that look of rivalry that nobody else could catch. While the world thought they were enemies, they were rivals and friends in secret...but this secret would soon come out...

"Aerrow, Dorian, concentrate." came the slightly cold voice of Autumn. She, Dorian, and Aerrow had been training for hours on end now, and the two guys were starting to tire out; Autumn was not one to go lightly in her teaching.

"Sorry, Autumn...Just not used to training this hard..." Aerrow panted, getting back into a fighting position. Dorian was in almost as bad a shape, but he looked like he could keep going.

"I understand, but I have to know you two will be fine should your secret come out...There are those who would rather see us dead than let us live in hiding." Autumn replied, her scythe glinting in what little lighting there was in the room. Their sparring match began again, the sound of metal clashing and harsh breathing filling the area...

By the time Aerrow returned to the Condor, he could tell the sun would be rising soon; as usual, his timing was great. He'd have about four hours to rest before he had to begin his charade again. He hated leading his squadron on like this, but he couldn't let them know what he was. Aerrow also knew that something would happen, but what frightened him the most is that he had no clue what it would be. Right now, he could only hope it wouldn't reveal his lie. Little did he know, Dorian was getting the same feeling...

Another battle had broken out between the Storm Hawks and the Talons, and as usual, Dorian and Aerrow were locked in combat above the forbidding Wastelands below. Suddenly, an odd blast came at the two, knocking them off their skimmers so quickly nobody knew what had happened until after the fact. A group of cloaked people came down, one of them holding a still partially-activated crystal in their hands. Both Aerrow and Dorian knew automatically who they were - hunters, and they were after them. Weighing the options of fighting or fleeing, both knew that they didn't stand a chance. Aerrow made it back onto his skimmer and called the retreat, but right before he could join up with his squad, he was knocked from his ride again, and Radarr couldn't get back to him as he was being fired at and was having to dodge. The Talons other than Dorian had already fled, leaving the scene in the hopes they'd still be alive later. Said Talon caught Aerrow, despite the fact they were enemies.

"You might as well surrender, you two...We know what you've been hiding." said one of the hunters, the others keeping the rest of the Storm Hawks away with some sort of barrier. Judging from the number of people, Aerrow guessed it was close to thirty against two, and he definately didn't want to fight with those odds right now.

"Aerrow, we're going to have to try to escape...They seem to just be after us...Amazonia's near-by; if we can make it there, we can lose them." Dorian suggested, crimson eyes glancing over to the teen beside him.

"That seems our best option at the moment...If I get the chance, I'll try to come up with something to tell my squad..." Aerrow muttered, emerald eyes scanning the area for a way to escape.

"That is if you get the chance...After this, you might not be able to see them again." Dorian whispered. Aerrow nodded over to an open area they could get to before the hunters did, and within seconds, the two were off...

The Storm Hawks were stunned at the scene that was playing before them as they watched from the bridge of the Condor. First, some weird cloaked people showed up and started attacking them, now Dark Ace and Aerrow were heading toward Terra Amazonia as they tried to escape. What was really worrying them was that Aerrow was with Dark Ace - how could they be sure Dark Ace wouldn't hurt Aerrow once they were out of everyone's view and/or line of attack? They could only hope that it wouldn't happen...

Aerrow and Dorian had somehow managed to get the hunters off their tail and were now hiding in a small cavern on Amazonia. It had started raining, and the stone walls provided a slightly warmer environment. Both were silent as they waited out the storm, but the tension in the air was stifling. Eventually, Aerrow could speak despite the fear he had.

"What do you think's gonna happen?" the red-head asked, leaf-green eyes looking over at the other vampire.

"Not sure...I had a feeling they were onto us, but I had hoped that it was just my imagination...In any case, we have to make it to nightfall...Then we can easily get back to Terra Dark, and the hunters will be off our trail for good." Dorian replied, blood-colored eyes set on the forest outside.

"I'm just hoping my squad doesn't come try to find us...If they do, they'll just be putting us into more danger..." Aerrow muttered, also staring at the dull green outside their small hiding place. Right now, they were in the middle of a game of Cat and Mouse, and unless something happened, they had the advantage...

MJ: Alright! Fourth chapter is up!  
chaos: Finally...

MJ: Now, please un-duct-tape me...

IMJ: Hmmm...

DA Bunny: I know you guys aren't that heartless.

MJ: Ah! Dark Ace, so glad you could make it!  
chaos: Wait a minute...Dark Ace is a rabbit?

DA Bunny: I'm not the real Dark Ace, moron...

chaos: O-kay...Uh, anyway, please review...


	6. Chapter 5

MJ: Alright, this is the reason this fic is rated M...

chaos: I've already read the draft...Those of you with a weak stomach, don't read...

MJ: Listen to the guy. Very graphic...

Disclaimer: I still don't own Storm Hawks.

WARNING!!! THIS CHAPTER HAS LOTS OF BLOOD, GORE, VIOLENCE, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF!!!

Chapter Five: The Beginning of the End

The Storm Hawks circled over Terra Amazonia, hoping for a glimpse of their captain. When they did, they couldn't get to him - he was locked in battle with a few of the cloaked people from before. Dark Ace was also in combat, and from the looks of things, the battle was not going well...

"Aerrow! Behind you!!" Dorian exclaimed, blocking another attack. Aerrow dodged at the last possible second and the chase began again. The hunters were relentless in their pursuit.

"Now we know what Autumn meant..." Aerrow muttered as they ran, not sparing a glance back. A branch sliced his cheek, causing him to flinch a bit at the sting. Dorian only nodded in reply, keeping his eyes fixed on the path ahead as they ran through the thick underbrush of Amazonia. The Hunters were close behind, and they couldn't afford to fall our get distracted now...

The Storm Hawks landed in a small clearing, just barely large enough for the Condor to land in. They had followed Dark Ace and Aerrow to another nearby clearing, but in order to help, they'd have to land. They reached the clearing their leader was currently stuck in, but found they couldn't reach Aerrow; some sort of barrier kept them from entering. They watched helplessly as around sixty of the cloaked people surrounded Aerrow and Dark Ace...

"Surrender, and perhaps we'll let you live for a little bit longer..." one of the Hunters stated, readying some sort of weapon that neither could remember the name of. A few other Hunters had a similar weapon, but most had sharp daggers or staves. Apparently, these people had been trained to believe that vampires could be slain by a stake to the heart.

"As if we'd surrender to you!" Aerrow snapped, clutching his arm as an arrow had been shot into it. Dorian was in a similar situation, but it was more or less trying to keep more arrows from being lodged into his body.

"Then I'm afraid you're deaths will be quite painful." the Hunter from before finsihed before firing a volley of arrows at the red-haired teen. Aerrow braced for the oncoming attack, only to find that it never came. The arrows had been deflected, and the person who helped him was none other than Autumn, her scythe glinting in the moonlight...

"Who's she?" Finn asked nobody in particular at the sight of the new warrior.

"Whoever she is, if those three get out alright, we'll have to thank her for saving him..." Piper whispered, just glad that Aerrow wasn't turned into a pin cushion by that recent attack...

"Another one?! How many are there still left?!" a random hunter demanded to know, gripping his daggers tighter than before. None of the other Hunters had an answer, for they were also unsure of how many there might be.

"Aerrow, Dorian, take these..." Autumn muttered, handing them each a blade. "Energy weapons don't work on the Hunters, so metal ones will have to do...I hope you can kill, boys, because if you can't, you'll be dead." she finished, glancing around the clearing with her blood-red eyes.

"What's the plan, Autumn?" Dorian questioned, also looking around.

"Thin out the numbers as much as possible...The moon will be at it's highest point soon, and that's when our power is greatest...We take flight then and escape..." Autumn replied, the other two nodding in agreement. Without another word, the three vampires took off, their speed so great that the Storm Hawks could not follow very well...save for when they saw a group of three Hunters' heads be severed from their bodies in the blink of an eye. Looking at who did this, they all recoiled a bit when they caught sight of the red-haired teen, his blade dripping with blood...

"Oh man...Aerrow didn't...Did he just..." Finn couldn't bring himself to answer the question, never having seen this side of his friend before. Piper couldn't answer, as she was trying not to throw up. Stork was muttering something about diseases, Radarr was stunned that his best friend could do that, and Junko was so shocked he almost didn't seem to breathe...

Another Hunter came up behind Aerrow, and without even needing to see the oncoming enemy, he moved his blade and slashed right through the Hunter, said person falling to the ground in two halves. Looking back, he saw that Autumn and Dorian were having similar luck, but Autumn didn't notice the dagger that was about to be thrown at her. Without another thought, Aerrow ran to the young woman's aid, seeing the knife being thrown. Autumn turned just in time to see Aerrow place himself between the dagger and her, said weapon now lodged in his chest. Autumn, Dorian, and the Storm Hawks were all surprised by this action, none more so than the vampire girl who was just saved from a similar fate. The Hunter who'd thrown the weapon in the first placed smirked triumphantly, but his face quickly turned to confusion when Aerrow's arm moved, his hand grabbing the dagger and yanking it out of his chest; the wound healed almost instantly, leaving a very pissed-off-looking Aerrow standing there with a bloody dagger in his hand...

"Wh-What the...Th-That attack sh-should've k-killed him..." Piper sputtered out, still stunned by the fact Aerrow was still alive after having a knife in his chest, not to mention the fact he pulled it out and now seemed just fine. The others nodded in agreement, to shocked to speak...

"It shouldn't be much longer; hang in there!" Autumn said forcefully as the battle continued, all three vampires fighting like it would be their last battle...which it possibly could be, but they weren't about to say that. It wasn't that difficult to get rid of the weaker of the Hunters, and by the time they'd gotten the Hunters' numbers down from sixty to maybe twenty, the clearing was littered with bodies, some with their insides spilling out of gaping wounds, some missing heads that could be found about a foot away, and others with their throats having been yanked by razor sharp claws (courtesy of Autumn, since she's a more experienced vampire). Weapons lay strewn about, some being clasped by severed hands. The stench that rose from all the blood and gore would've made anyone sick, but the trio of vampires seemed unaffected by the smell, standing there as ready as ever for battle, no sign of fear anywhere amongst them.

"How are you beating the Hunters so easily?! We've been trained to kill your kind - the Vampires - for centuries! Why is it you seem to know every move we'll make?!" the leader of the Hunters demanded, infuriated by this turn of events.

"You never change your fighting style, you idiot! Why else would you have so much trouble against us now? It's the same as a hundred years ago, and I happen to have experience fighting you Hunters!" Autumn retorted angrily, crimson eyes blazing.

"You place your truths in the legends of us being sun-despising, mindless, blood-sucking fiends! You don't expect us to be able to put up a fight, and keep your weak ways of dealing with us!" Dorian added, slicing through a few more Hunters with ease. Aerrow didn't say anything - his eyes were fixed on the sky.

"Autumn...Dorian...It's time..." he murmurred, his voice so soft only the two other vampires could hear him. Looking up into the sky, they saw that the moon hung at its highest point, shining brighter than it had been. An eerie wind picked up in the clearing, causing a chill to run through the bodies of everyone else there. They were all shocked when a large beam of moonlight struck the trio, surrounding them in silvery light. All three started shifting into true vampire form - elongated ears, long and sharp teeth, claw-like fingers, extremely pale skin, and just all around somewhat frightening to the causal bystander (i.e. the other Storm Hawks)...

"When did...When did Aerrow become a vampire?!" Piper asked, completely shocked by this revelation.

"He's been acting a bit differently since we left the terra we crashed onto that time...Could that time we lost communication with him been when he was bitten?" Finn pondered, sounding smart for once. Perhaps the shock of his closest friend having this big of a secret had made his brain work, but either way, that didn't matter. All that did was how he was able to keep them from knowing...

"Don't just stand there, you idiots! Catch them before they can escape!" the head Hunter ordered, and the other Hunters immediately obeyed. Their actions were too slow, however, and before they knew it, the vampires' wings were revealed and they took off, disappearing into the shadows of the night sky, leaving behind a group of irritated Hunters, a stunned group of teens, and a whole bunch of decapitated bodies...

MJ: See what I mean? This chapter is kinda graphic?

chaos: Excuse me...

MJ: What's his problem? Anyway, review please!


	7. Chapter 6

MJ: Finally, I get around to updating this one!  
chaos: After the mad updating spree you wnet on with another story...

MJ: Because that one I actually had ideas for...And now I have one for this story!

chaos: Whatever...Anyway, enjoy...

Disclaimer: Must I really and truly repeat myself?

Chapter Six: Friends Arrive

It had been only a few hours ago that the trio of vampires barely escaped the Hunters, and were now in the safety Terra Dark's mysterious power. Dorian and Autumn took the exodus as a way to survive, yet Aerrow had seperated from them and was now in one of the rooms of the mansion Autumn called her home.

"I'm worried about him...The last time I saw him like this was after I turned him..." Autumn murmurred, more to herself than to Dorian.

"Can you blame him? He just had to leave everything he knew behind...His friends, his home, everything he worked so hard for..." Dorian trailed off, knowing that the red-haired teen wouldn't be the same after this. He noticed that by this point, Autumn had stood up from her seat.

"I'm going to go check on him...I know what he's going through..." she whispered before heading upstairs, trying to think of something she could say or do to help him...

Aerrow sighed, his back to the door as he looked out the window at the vast amount of shadows that covered the terra. He vaguely noted that someone had opened the door, but pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Right now, he could only think about what would happen to his friends - how would, or how did, they react to finding out what he was? Would they tell everybody else this? Were they the ones who betrayed him? His mind raced with questions like this, no answers coming to him. He tensed when a delicate hand rested on his shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts. He relaxed a bit when he saw it was Autumn; she might know something, as she was once in this situation.

"You okay?" she questioned softly, blood-colored eyes showing her concern. Aerrow sighed , looking away slightly.

"Just...I'm just worried, I guess..." he whispered in reply, green eyes closed as he thought over that day's events. He gasped when she wrapped her arms around him.

"You're thinking about your squadron...I can tell, as I was in a similar situation...Though, I can say this with certainty: you're team didn't betray you. They were your friends, and if they are true friends as you said they were, they wouldn't do something like this to hurt you...I wish I could say the same for my squadron so many years ago..." she murmurred, trying to comfort him.

"That's right...you said it was your squad that betrayed you..." Aerrow trailed off, knowing she was right about what she said of his friends; they wouldn't do anything to hurt him like this. Yet this left another question : who found out about it?

"More than likely, it was somebody of great importance...Hunters will only listen to somebody with a high position in society, like a member of the Sky Knight Council for example...That narrows it down quite a bit, yet it also leaves the question of who." Autumn stated, almost like she had read his mind. Aerrow didn't say anything, as once again, she was right.

"Autumn...If it is someone of the Council...Then I may know who...The only one who didn't want my friends and I to become an official squadron...If he were to somehow find out I'm a vampire, he would send the Hunters after me...With no Sky Knight, the Storm Hawks could never even be considered a squad..." Aerrow eventually said, remembering that man who said that they shouldn't trust "children" to do such "dangerous missions" that many squadrons are sent on.

"It may be him, for all we know...As a matter of fact, if it is the one I'm thinking of..." Autumn stopped, her eyes widening as she moved to face him. "Aerrow, he's the only one who COULD find out such things..."

"What do you mean?" Aerrow asked, quite confused by her words.

"He was one of my friends many years ago...He was the one who found out...He would know what to look for...Aerrow, after leaving Terra Dark with your friends, did you happen to go to Atmosia?" Aerrow nodded in reply. "I knew it...he must've figured it out recently, and then told the Hunters, who might've known Dorian was one..." Autumn's expression turned from worried to serious.

"So you're saying that, if he remembers you...He would know exactly what signs he would need to look for to find out if somebody's a vampire...And since he already disliked me and didn't want me and my friends to become an official squadron..." Aerrow's mind put the pieces together. However, now he felt even more hurt, as he had trusted the Council for years, and yet this one man would betray a Sky Knight so easily, without a second thought more than likely.

"Aerrow..." Autumn couldn't find any words to say now. She knew the teen was torn apart emotionally, and she felt bad for doing this to him. "I'm so sorry..." she whispered, turning away from him as tears welled in her eyes.

"What are you sorry for?" he asked, wondering why she was apologizing.

"If I hadn't turned you, you would never be in this situation...I'm sorry!" she cried out, now blaming herself for this. She didn't notice how close he was to her until he had his hands on her shoulders, turning her around to face him. She was about to pull away when he crushed his lips to hers, silencing anything she was about to say on the tip of her tounge. She melted into his embrace, a soft moan escaping her when Aerrow licked her lip softly, silently begging for permission. She could only let him have it, her arms wrapping around his neck as his tounge explored, coaxing her's to play. It probably would've gone farther had their moment now been interrupted by somebody clearing their throat to catch their attention. Looking at the intruder, they both saw it was Dorian, and despite everything their bodies said, they slowly moved apart.

"Not wanting to ruin your fun..."

"Too late..." Autumn grumbled, cutting Dorian off.

"As I was saying, we've got company...And I definately was not expecting there to be so many vampires left in Atmos." Dorian finished before leaving the room, and the other two could've sworn they heard him say something about "crazy, horny teenagers."

"I guess we'll have to finish this later..." Aerrow muttered, going to get Dorian back for his parting comment. Autumn nodded, a mischevious glint in her crimson eyes. Pulling her in for one more kiss, the two headed downstairs, also wondering just how many of their kind really was left...

Needless to say, both Aerrow and Autumn were shocked at the multitude of vampires that had shown up. One stepped up to them, tall with long, black hair pulled back into a low ponytail. He smiled, showing very sharp fangs, cobalt-blue eyes almost glowing.

"I take it you are the Lady Autumn?" he asked, obviously a flirtatious person. Autumn was about to reply when another came up, yanking the first one back by his ear.

"You idiot, can't you see she's already taken? That cute red-head, more than likely." she snapped, glaring at the vampire who was now rubbing his sore ear. This vampire had shoulder-length black hair and also had cobalt-blue eyes. "Sorry 'bout him, Autumn...Don't think you've met my brother before." she said, smiling at the light-brown haired girl. Autumn chuckled, walking up to the other girl.

"I can't say I have, Tara. It's so good to see you again; with all the recent events, I was afraid you might've been killed." Autumn said, seeming a bit happier than she normally did.

"Heh, I doubt they could easily kill me. After all, I am a trained assasin. But aside from that, where in Atmos did you find that cutie?" Tara asked, nodding at Aerrow.

"Actually, she got me when my squadron crashed onto the terra..." the red-head admitted, walking up. "I'm Aerrow."

"Aerrow...Hey, I've heard of you! You're the leader of the Storm Hawks, correct?" Tara's brother questioned, stepping over.

"I was until the Hunters attacked me and Dorian earlier today...Now, I'm just another vampire to the world." Aerrow replied, glad somebody knew him, if only by name.

"Yeah, we came across the scene of battle...Autumn, you really need to change your fighting style; I mean, ripping people's throats out? Geez, we're blood-suckers, not barbarians!" Tara joked, Autumn mock-punching her in the arm. 

"Heh, maybe I should change...but at least it's effective!" Autumn chuckled out before looking at all the other vampire milling about the area. "So, there's really this many left?"

"Yup, that's every single one of them that's been hiding in Atmos...We were all heading to Terra Dark when we came across your battle field. Gotta say, they're ready to fight any Hunters that they come across, especially after seeing what all you three did to those guys." Tara's brother answered, getting bopped up side the head by his sister. "Hey, what was that for?!" 

"For being an idiot, Skye, that's what." Tara replied, Aerrow and Autumn sighing about the siblings' slight antics. It wasn't long before all the vampires were introduced to one another, and Aerrow really began to feel he could deal with what was happening, becuase he realized he wasn't alone in this. He also knew that the person who discovered him would pay, as he recognized quite a few of the vampires from his travels through Atmos, and knew some to be former Sky Knights who were probably forced into hiding by the same man...

MJ: Holy shittake mushrooms! We might be on the verge of a vampire uprising!  
chaos: Judging from how many there seems to be, which Mina's notes says there's probably around ninety not including the three the story's followed, it is quite possible.

MJ: Tune in for the next chapter! Review please!


	8. Chapter 7

MJ: And now, from the dark depths of my mind comes another chapter...

chaos: And right now, I happen to be stuck with her...literally.

MJ: My psycho inner-self snuck up on us, knocked us out, and duct-taped us together...I was able to free my fingers so I can update!

chaos: And I've almost reached my pocket knife, so I hope by the end of this chapter we'll be out of this mess...

MJ: So, all other things aside, enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: If you make me repeat it, I'll drain your blood...

Chapter Seven : Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part One

The plan was set, and the vampires were quite excited about it. One of their scouts had just returned with news that the Sky Knight Council had called a meeting for all squadrons; it was to be held three days from now, on Terra Rex. Every squadron was required to come, and the ENTIRE council would be there, as well. Their plan was simple for now - have a small group of vampires go to the meeting and deliver a message; the humans would then have two days to send their reply. Aerrow was put in charge of the creating the message, and was now sitting in his room writing it out:

/This choice can either save or harm every citizen of Atmos. We ask that you call off the Hunters. In return, we won't hunt down the innocent civilians. If your reply is no, you have put everyone in danger of being our prey. If you send the reply by way of the Hunters, then you have also declined our generous offer and as such, placed innocents in danger. You have two days from the time you get this message; we will know when you have it./

'Sounds pretty threatening...Nobody would expect that I wrote it...' Aerrow thought, a smirk on his face. Folding it up, he sealed it with the symbol for Terra Dark. He finished just as Tara, who was one of the ones in the group that would take the message, walked in, her cobalt-blue eyes tinted with an almost evil look.

"I see you've finished?" Tara questioned, walking over to the red-haired teen. Aerrow nodded, handing the message to the woman.

"They will more than likely have some Hunters around the area...Make sure your team's prepared, and kill the Hunters there if needed; I'm sure they'll attack you if they see you." Aerrow stated, Tara nodding before heading out. Sighing, he turned his gaze to the black sky outside, wondering how his friends were doing without him...

The Storm Hawks had joined up with the other squadrons, everybody wondering where Aerrow was. When asked, they said they didn't know, and were hoping he'd show up at the meeting. Eventually, everyone was there, and the meeting began. The head of the council stepped forward, looking around the group.

"I see everyone is here except Aerrow of the Storm Hawks..." he started, not noticing the triumphant look that crossed a certain council member's face. "Would the Storm Hawks please stand?" The group stood up, showing that, indeed, Aerrow was not there. "Do you happen to know where your commanding officer is?"

"We know..." came a voice from the shadows above before any of the teens could speak. Everyone looked up to where the voice had come from, but found that nobody was there.

"What the..." the council member from before (the one with the look mentioned earlier) trailed off.

"Oh, now, come on, don't act so surprised! You know exactly what's going on!" another voice chuckled out, coming from a different direction.

"Aw, can't we just kill them and save time?" came a third voice, yet again from another direction.

"The Lord and Lady of Terra Dark specifically said we could only destroy any Hunters...So, that's a no to your question." came a fourth voice, coming from behind the people below.

"Now, now, don't want to be freaking them out too much, dearies." came an obviously female voice from a final direction.

"TOO LATE FOR THAT!!! SHOW YOURSELVES!!!" Harrier demanded, readying his energy blade. Nobody was expecting four figures to fly down quickly, ridding them of their weaponry before anyone could notice. Everyone was shocked to see that the four figures were vampires, and they were standing between them and their weapons. A fifth one flew down, the woman who was heard before. She carried a parchment in her hand, and began walking forward. The others quickly got out of her way, save for the Sky Knight Council, whose members were too shocked to move. The female vampire stopped in front of the head-member, giving a grin that showed her fangs.

"We come bearing a message from our leaders. Our intentions are good, and you might wish to take us up on our offer...You have two days to reply, starting...now!" The woman exclaimed, all five taking flight quickly, disappearing back into the shadows they had come from.

"Vampires...I had thought the Hunters got rid of them..." one person murmurred, others also saying similar things.

"What does the message say?" Starling asked, now a bit intrigued by this sudden appearance. The head-member opened the parchment, breaking the seal that held it together. He paled when he read the words that were written.

"We have a new decision to make...One that could place everyone in Atmos in danger..." the man started, trying to remember exactly how to breathe...

Aerrow sighed in relief when the group of five vampires returned safely from their mission, knowing that now they'd have to wait for the decision of the Council and the squadrons, and this thought made him a bit uneasy. If their decision was to decline their offer, could he really bring himself to hunt down those he once protected? He was so distracted by his thoughts he didn't even hear Autumn walk up behind him. He nearly jumped when her arms wrapped over his shoulders, golden-brown hair cascading down.

"Aerrow...No need to be so worried..." she whispered, her hand resting on his pale cheek.

"Can you blame me, though?" he asked, standing up and turning her to face him.

"No...I guess I can't..." she whispered, turning her face up to his.

"Autumn...You were in this situation once...What did you do?" Aerrow asked, looking away from the vampiress.

"I was unsure of what I should do, as I was a Sky Knight, yes...but never once did I ever think to give the council, and the rest of Atmos for that matter, an ultimatum...I'm sorry I can't be of much help..." Autumn replied, sighing as she relaxed into his embrace. The two stayed there for a few minutes before seperating, knowing they still had much to do...

"So, you're saying these...fiends wish for a truce of sorts? We will call off the Hunters and they will not hunt down the citizens of Atmos?" someone questioned after the message was read.

"What if they crash on Terra Dark, though? What will happen then?" another asked.

"Technically, that's not hunting them down, for they would already be on their grounds." Starling reasoned, weighing the options in her mind for each decision.

"I agree with Starling. Amd, note they said "innocent citizens" in their letter...This could mean that, should we agree, they would only hunt down such people who are a threat to everyone - people responsible for murders or something along those lines. We have to consider all views of their words." Harrier concurred, eyes closed as he thought over this matter.

"I am afraid this matter is more than that, Sky Knights..." a sinister voice stated, everyone recognizing it as the voice of a certain evil empress...

MJ: DUN DUN DUUUNNNNN!!! Another cliffy!!  
chaos: Why has Cyclonis shown up at a Sky Knight meeting? Is Aerrow having second thoughts? Will Mina ever stop ending her stories with cliff hangers?  
MJ: Answer to at least two of these questions will be revealed in "Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part Two", which will be out ASAP!!! Review please!!!


	9. Chapter 8

MJ: Alright, here is the next installment. Please, find some sort of heavy rock music like Disturbed or Metallica to listen to while you're reading this chapter, as LOTS of rock music is being listened to while I type.

chaos: Yes, and I have to say, her tastes in artists has gotten better. Last time she wrote a chapter while listening to music, I ran screaming from the room.

MJ: Hey, I was trying to write a humorous chapter! The only song I could think of was the Numa Numa song!

chaos: I thought it was Dragostei Din Tei?

MJ: That's the actual name, but everyone just calls it Numa Numa. Anyway, let's continue on with the story!

Disclaimer: ...read the others...

Chapter Eight: Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part Two

Everyone at the meeting turned to see Master Cyclonis walking over to them, and they all immediately prepared for battle.

"Rest easy, for I intend no harm. Instead, I come with some information on these...creatures you just saw." the evil queen said calmly, violet eyes scanning the crowd.

"Speak, and we shall listen." the head council member stated, looking right at the teenage empress. She stepped forward to the front of the crowd.

"It is not just Atmos who is threatned, for one of my most loyal Talons is also one of the Vampires - we just found his victims' remains in the Wastelands. From the amount we've found, he's been at this for quite some time. I believe you all know him as the Dark Ace."

Murmurs rose in the crowd, everyone either confused or startled at this sudden turn of events. Cyclonis raised her hand up, the motion telling them she had more to say.

"We have also found evidence of multiple others with varying positions throughout Atmos to be Vampires, as well. Many of them are Sky Knights who were reported to be missing-in-action, and others held positions within the Council at one point...I have even brought this proof with me; the Council can verify it's accuracy." Cyclonis stated, handing a large folder to one of the council members. Opening to the first document, the council member paled considerably as he read the file :

"Skye Ridgely, reported missing twenty years ago; multiple people have claimed to see him after he was declared dead, though this would normally be impossible. Held the position of marksman for the Storm Hawks, went missing seven years before the squadron was destroyed." the council member's voice had trembled considerably as he read; he flipped to the next page, and nearly passed out, as he recognized the face. "It couldn't be...No..." Another snatched the folder, and also tensed at the picture - a red-haired man with forest-green eyes, bearing the Storm Hawks insignia. The file also held details of his "death," though none of them were expecting many of them. The head member looked directly at the new Storm Hawks.

"Would the second-in-command of the Storm Hawks please come forward?" Piper hesitantly walked over to where the council was; nervousness was evident in her stance and expression.

"Yes, sir?" she questioned meekly, not used to addressing the council as a leader.

"Did you, or did you not, know that Aerrow Hawkin's father was also a Vampire?" Many people paled, becuase if he was a Vampire when Aerrow was conceived, that would mean the teenage Sky Knight would at least be half.

"No, sir, neither me or the others knew this...I doubt if Aerrow himself even knew..."

"Oh, he knew alright..." a voice came from the shadows, sinister and all too familiar. Everyone turned to find themselves staring right at the Dark Ace, a group of maybe ten vampires behind him. He wasn't in his usual uniform, the one everyone was used to seeing him in; no, his clothes were completely black, and a long katana hung from his back. "After all, it only happened before I supposedly betrayed and killed my squadron."

"So, you...you were the one who murdered them?" Piper, who had backed up a bit by this point, questioned softly, orange eyes wide as details from the scene only a few nights ago floated into her mind. Dark Ace gave her a grin, his fangs showing easily in the light that came form the torches that dotted the area.

"What are you doing here? You're message said you'd give us two days to come up with an reply." a council member stated, glaring at the group of vampires.

"Huh, perhaps it was because a group of Hunters came to our home, claiming to have been sent by the Sky Knight Council of Terra Atmosia? I thought we had made it clear that we wanted them called off." Dark Ace replied, crimson eyes glancing at one man in particular. Many of the others became frightened at the aura that surrounded the dark-haired man. The council member the Vampires had suspected growled and rose from where he was sitting, standing up to the creatures.

"Why should he trust hell-spawn like you?! You've proven time and again that your kind isn't trustworthy! Give us one good reason we should agree with your terms, you filth!"

"Your words condemn you..." A calm voice came from behind the group of vampires, chilling and familiar to many. The group parted, bowing their heads in respect as a hooded figure walked up, a scythe strapped to his back and the faint sound of his steps hitting the ground filling the tense, silent air.

"And you are?!" the council member from before demanded, glaring at the new comer with an intense hatred. The Storm Hawks immediately knew who it was, and needed no more proof than the flash of green coming from beneath the hood of the person's cloak.

"One of the two leaders of our kind. And that is all you need to know." the person replied, stopping just in front of Dark Ace. "Dorian, I shall handle this...In the meantime, I want you and the others to get rid of the Hunters that are hiding in the shadows."

"Yes, sir." Dark Ace, or Dorian as the new Vampire had called him, stated before he and the others took off.

"Now this leaves the matter at hand." he whispered, stepping forward a bit more. Many of the Sky Knights prepared for battle, but were stopped when Piper glared at them. She stood between the Vampire and the others, and they all swore they heard a snarl.

"Get out of my way..." the figure growled meancingly, stepping closer to the teenaged girl.

"This isn't like you; you were never like this before...Why are you doing this?!" Piper asked coldly, still standing in front of the other. When she got no reply, she gritted her teeth. "Answer me, dammit! Why are you doing this?!"

"Because I have no way of knowing if it was you who told them...There's no way to figure out if you gave away my identity or if it was somebody else." he growled; you could literally feel the anger that came from the Vampire.

"We were your friends! Why would..."

"Humans are raised on stories of what we are perceived to be: mindless, blood-sucking creatures of the dark. If I had told you, what would you have done? The answer is usually the simplest one - you would've gotten scared and told the Hunters. It's always the same, for if you fear something, the easiest way to get over that fear is to get rid of it, is it not?" the Vampire asked, watching the reactions of the crowd carefully although nobody could tell he was. His gaze shifted as Starling walked over to Piper, her green eyes watching him carefully.

"Piper...you know him?" the purple-haired woman questioned, standing next to the other girl as if to protect her.

"I believe you should all know me quite well, Starling. After all..." he trailed off, lifting a hand to remove the hood that covered his face, shocking everyone, "I'm supposed to be MIA according to everyone else." Aerrow finished, staring at them all coldly.

MJ: DUN DUN DUUUUNNNN!! Aerrow's revealed his identity!

chaos: And now, we must leave the rest to be answered in "Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part Three!"

Both: Please review!!


	10. Chapter 9

MJ: Alright, here's chapter nine! Perhaps we'll see some Vampire-fighting-action!

Jr.: Why wouldn't we? Aerrow seems pissed off at the world right now.

MJ: Which is why I'm saying we might see some fight-stuff!  
Jr.: Ah. Well, anyway, let's get started.

Disclaimer: I'm not repeating it.

Chapter Nine: Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part Three

Everyone there looked at the young Vampire in horror, as this was not the Aerrow they rememebered. This Aerrow seemed colder, almost evil. His eyes weren't the bright, youthful green they had all come to know. A Hunter who had managed to go unseen ran up behind Aerrow, a dagger in his hand - Aerrow seemed to know he was there, as all he did was smirk. In what could've passed as the blink of an eye, the Hunter had been sliced in two, right down the middle, split into similar halves. The only clue as to who just did was was the fact Aerrow now held a long-bladed sword that dripped with what little blood it had come into contact with - the slash had been so quick, nothing but a few drops of crimson stuck to the blade.

"You'd think after what happened on Amazonia they'd get the picture...Wouldn't you agree, Piper?" Aerrow asked, not even looking at said girl. He sheathed his sword, shaking his head in disappointment.

"A-Aerrow...W-Why are y-you d-doing this?" Piper managed to ask, fear evident in her wide, orange eyes. Many others were also quite frightened by the change in the young boy. Aerrow didn't reply, or rather, he couldn't, as he now had a blade at his throat. Letting his green eyes look to the side, he saw exactly who he thought it would be - the council man who put him here in the first place.

"I had my suspicions that you were a Vampire..." the man snarled, pressing the sharp blade closer into the teen's pale flesh.

"Only because of what you did many years ago..." Aerrow whispered, looking quite bored.

"And you would know of this how?!" The council man was obviously losing his patience.

"Because your former squadron member told me, you idiot - Autumn, tactician and specialist of the Rex Guardians nearly fifty years ago..." Aerrow would've said more, had the dagger not been plunged into his chest. Many looked surprised, others looked sickened, and some were a combination of both. These expressions all became one of shock when Aerrow's hand moved up, grabbing the one that held the dagger in him. With a rather forceful yank, the dagger was removed from his chest, the council member flying forward, his hand releasing the blade.

"After seeing how Autumn survived that same attack, I would think you should've learned that it does nothing to us." Aerrow stated, a smirk on his face. Now everybody was frightened by this new Aerrow - they didn't know what he was now capable of, what he could now use against them. He knew them - their strengths, their weakneses, almost everything. If they had to fight him, they would have to figure out something quickly to defeat him.

"YOU'RE LYING!!! SHE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE ALIVE!!!" the enraged council member roared, standing up to run at the Vampire, only to find a cloaked figure holding the blade of a scythe to his neck.

"On the contrary, dearest Seth. I am very much alive, at least in the context that I have survived..." a chillingly familiar female voice said, her weapon glinting in the moonlight.

"A-Autumn?!" the man squeaked, now very much regretting his current position and what he had done to get there.

"I would normally be glad you remembered me, but right now, I have other things to accomplish. For number one," Autumn paused, pressing the blade of her scythe closer into the man's flesh, a thin trail of blood trickling down his neck, "How did you figure it out, Seth? How did you know he was a Vampire?"

"I knew what to look for...I can thank you for that knowledge." he replied, glaring at the girl behind him. She merely chuckled in amusement, her blood-red eyes holding some emotion that was currently unknown.

"Only because you, Seth, felt you could gain status from the turning in of a deadly creature...You cared nothing that I was your squad mate, not to mention your fiancee...Now, for question number two : how did you know the location of Terra Dark, the home of the Vampires?"

"It's the only place that is marked as a place ships should avoid - that terra, and the surrounding area."

"Liar." came Aerrow's voice at last as he walked over. "There is no map on Atmos that holds the position of Terra Dark. I can prove that, as well." he finished, pulling out a chart. It was true - there was no place on that map where Terra Dark was mentioned. "This is the standard map found just about everywhere. Every squadron has a copy, you can find it posted in many buildings...There is no mention of our terra."

"What else have you lied about, Seth? How many people have you fooled? We can see through your lies." Autumn said, eyes showing her anger towards the man.

"And why should I answer that?" Seth questioned, showing that he was not going to answer her last question. Probably a bad idea, seeing as how the blade was pressed even closer into his throat.

"Because, even if you don't answer now, I can easily get my answer from your corpse." Autumn snarled, eyes glancing at Aerrow. Said teen got the hidden message in her gaze, and walked closer to the two.

"You're the one who said to the council that, "you couldn't trust children to fight like the others." I would think that's because you were afraid." Aerrow said, stopping only a foot away from them.

"How do you get that?!" the council man shouted, eyes blazing in rage that he was being torn apart like this, much less in front of those who trusted and believed in him.

"Because you knew who my father was, and you feared that, like he did, I would figure out what you were up to. Isn't that why you ordered for the original Storm Hawks' destruction? You were afraid that he would reveal you secret." Aerrow growled, his glare seeming to frighten the man before him.

"Aerrow knows why I'm late to the "event" - With the usual security not there, I could easily slip in and find out anything I wanted to. And I mean anything - this includes your past, Seth." Autumn stated, noticing that the man tensed considerably.

"Wh-What do y-you mean?" he managed to get out.

"You should know better than to leave all your important files on your desk, where anyone could find them. I know about your dealings with Cyclonia, Seth. Now, how ironic is it that an "enemy of Cyclonia" would be helping them when nobody was watching?" Autumn asked, asking it loud enough that everybody in the area could hear her. Gasps arouse from the group, and some people seemed to find this too hard to believe.

"You've been lying all your life. And your only reason was so you could gain the status you desired, the power you felt you deserved." Aerrow said, looking at the man with disgust. "And to think - everybody trusted you. Many people probably still do, despite how much has been revealed. Why should they believe a Vampire?" Aerrow probably would've said more, had a black-haired Vampire not come up to him.

"Everything is set, Lord Aerrow. We await yours and Lady Autumn's command." the Vampire said.

"So quickly? I'm impressed, Skye. Proceed as planned - I think it's time to show them what we are REALLY about." Aerrow said. Skye nodded and flew off, more than likely to tell the others to start. Aerrow then looked around at the mass of Sky Knights and related squadrons. "I'm sorry, but it seems your time is up. Now..." both Aerrow and Autumn seemed to disappear, only to reappear next to the Vampires who'd come with them, "It seems that it's time to let Atmos' nightmare begin." And with that, the entire group of Vampires took off, before anybody could do anything to stop them...

MJ: Oh my...Aerrow seems to have become SO evil.

Jr.: I can easily see that nobody was expecting THAT one.

MJ: Of coruse! Who would've expected that our little Sky Knight could become so...so...

Jr.: Talon-like?  
MJ: That'll work. Anyway, review please!!


	11. Chapter 10

MJ: Alrighty! Chappie ten is here! And I have no co-writers with me today, so...Let's just go on to the story!! 

Disclaimer: I own a stale piece of cookie cake and that's it.

Chapter Ten: The Aftermath of a Nightmare

Many squadrons had quickly left to defend their home terras when the Vampires headed out, Aerrow included. Some knew they might not make it in time to save some of the citizens they had sworn to protect, but none had expected something like this to happen. Others had hope that maybe, just maybe, the Vampires were bluffing, that they weren't headed for the innocents that they might now prey upon.The remaining few were those with no hope whatsoever of saving anything from this new threat. Yet, nobody expcted the scenes that many came upon...

Terra Atmosia was the first to be listed as attacked: bodies of children and adults alike were strewn about, some with gaping wounds, others pale as bone from having no blood left in their bodies. Those who managed to survive somehow were traumatized from watching their loved ones being so mercilessly slaughtered...

Terra Blizzaris was the next to be reported, and the situation was similar. There were more survivors this time, but the snow there was shaded with reds and pinks - it was no longer the pure white it once was...

Terra Saharr was the least expected to have been attacked, but it still was. Few people were dead, but those who were wounded had little if any chance of surviving much longer. A few were able to escape unscathed, but as was the case on Atmosia, they were traumatized...

Many were surprised when Cyclonia called in with how much damage they had - the place looked worse than it usually did. Blood covered many of the surfaces, bodies lay in random positions and locations. Some had even landed partially in the lava pools that surrounded the barren terra, the parts that landed in the burning magma completely gone - this included heads, arms, legs, and in some cases an entire half of a body. The smells blood, burnt flesh, and gore hung in the air like a blanket, stifling the lungs of those still living...

This same scenario went on and on, each with differing terras - the sights, the smells, the sheer and utter reality of it all, and how if they had only listened they could've avoided this despairing fate. None were more pained by these events then the remaining members of the Storm Hawks, who were now on the Condor...

"I...I still can't...bring myself to believe it..." Piper choked out, images from a few nights ago replaying in her mind. Tears fell from her carnelian eyes, unhindered as the slid down her face.

"Yet...we all know it's true..." Finn stated, sitting in a chair, his chin resting on his folded arms, which in turn rested upon the table. His cerulean eyes seemed to no longer hold that same spark of craziness and fun - they were a dull shade of blue.

"I must be getting some sort of disease - I'm actually agreeing with Finn..." Stork muttered, his normal paranoia seeming to be gone for the moment.

"Did anybody expect Aerrow to be able to do something like this though?" Junko questioned, not his usual cheerful and upbeat self. Nobody replied - there was no point, as the answer from each one of them would be no. Radarr made a small noise before slinking off to Aerrow's old room. The teens watched the blue creature - Radarr had just lost his closest friend, his first friend, to something nobody could even imagine before...

Aerrow chuckled as he recalled what happened a mere few hours ago - contrary to his earlier thoughts, that was actually quite fun. Nobody recognized him, not even the ones he'd helped before - they were too busy running for their lives, hoping to escape the nightmarish hell the Vampires created. And it had all happened so quickly - nobody expected it to occur, so none were prepared to face them. His thoughts were ended from a knock on the door to his room. Looking at who it was, he smiled as he saw Autumn walk in.

"You did quite well, Aerrow, considering it was your first hunt." Autumn praised as she walked over.

"I was surprised nobody recognized who I was, though - a few people put up a figt, and if they did see me, they didn't even shout it to the others...It amazes me how self-centered they can be when their life is in danger." Aerrow stated.

"Yes, and we did quite a job ridding Atmos of that selfishness, didn't we? So, even if we are considered the enemy, we are still doing good."

"Even if it's just good in our eyes and not in theirs...I can live with that." Aerrow said, a smirk on his face...

-- --

MJ: Oh my...I'm either insane, or I've been watching too many horror movies as of late...Anyway, review please!


	12. Epilogue

MJ: The final chapter...I'm so happy!

chaos: Aside from the one-shots, this is the first fic she's finished.

MJ: Yup! So, anyway, enjoy!!

Disclaimer: You should know it by heart at this point - I don't own Storm Hawks.

Epilogue - Thirty Years Later

It had been going on thirty years since the day the Vampires made themselves known again, and Atmos had moved on from their shaky past. Cyclonia wasn't a threat - as a matter of fact, they were an ally. We now pick up at the Sky Knight Academy, where a new student is arriving...

"Alright, we've got a new recruit with us today - say hello to Rose Hawkins." the head master said as a girl stepped to the front of the room. She had long, dark brown hair that was tipped with ruby-red, pulled back into a high ponytail. Her eyes appeared to be emerald green, but if you looked closer, flecks of red could be seen throughout. Her skin was fairly pale, and every boy in the room eyed her...

"Hey! Rose! Over here!" a boy called out as said girl came out with her lunch. Sighing, she walked over, sitting down next to the boy who had called her there in the first place.

"Thanks - I wasn't looking forward to looking for a seat in this crowd." Rose stated, looking at the boy - he had blonde hair, dark orange eyes, and slightly tanned skin.

"No prob, Rose! By the way, name's Luke, nice to meet ya!" the boy said before turning to one of his friends, who was trying to get his attention.

"So, your parents are actually from the Storm Hawks?" one of the other kids at the table asked, looking at Luke.

"Yeah, they are!" Luke answered excitedly, his look saying he'd start telling them all about it in a moment.

"I heard the Storm Hawks were involved with the Vampire Incidents thirty years ago...Since you're the child of two of them, perhaps you know more about it?" Rose asked, silence reigning over the small group. Luke's cheerful attitude faded, replaced by one much more serious.

"The leader of the Storm Hawks was turned into a Vampire, apparently...They were all checked to make sure he hadn't bitten them, and luckily he hadn't...Mom and dad aren't even sure when it happened, but boy were they shocked..." Luke replied, looking at Rose.

"What about you, Rose? You seem to know something about it..." one of the others said.

"Just the basic facts, and that's it...Besides, at least he knows something about his parents - mine died when I was little..." Rose said, a sad look crossing her face. In reality, they were perfectly alive, but to protect her family - and herself - she had to lie to everybody she met about them. Easiest way to keep people from questioning is to say they're dead.

"Oh...Sorry if we're upsetting you by talking about our parents..." Luke stated, the other boys nodding.

"You're not upsetting me at all...See, even though I don't remember much about them, I've got this...image of them, if you will, in my head..." Rose explained.

"You don't want to figure out what they were like?" one boy asked.

"Nah, I don't. As long as I've got something, I'm fine, even if it's not what they're really like." Rose answered, finishing her lunch. Standing up, she gathered up her things. "Well, hate to almost literally eat and run, but I'd like to get some Sky Fu practice in before the break's over." Rose said, waving as she walked away.

"She kinda scares me...I mean, her eyes - they've got red in them..." one kid said, looking at Rose's retreating form.

"Yeah, and her skin's real pale...Think she might be a Vampire?" another questioned, looking frightened.

"I doubt it, dude. I mean, why would one come out to the Academy?" Luke asked, not believing his friends.

"To suck our blood in the middle of the night."

"If she wanted to suck our blood, she'd have asked somebody to come with her! Besides, she seems like a nice girl..." Luke said, already thinking about Rose...

Said girl sighed as soon as she was in the privacy of the training grounds - she'd made sure nobody was around to see her. Digging into her bag, she pulled out a small vial of reddish liquid - it was blood. She'd made the excuse of wanting to train because she felt the bloodlust coming up on her, and she was quite glad she was able to keep it under control until she got there. Quickly, she poured the contents of the vial down her throat, sighing as her bloodlust faded away.

'I'll have to go back to Terra Dark tonight and get more...Why is it coming more often? I normally only get it once a month...' she thought, putting the vial back in her bag. Maybe it was because she was turning thirteen in a couple of weeks, or maybe it was something else - she wasn't sure, but whatever it was, she hated it. Smiling a bit, she thought of what she'd tell her dad - he'd be thrilled to hear Piper and Finn had a kid, seeing as how the two were his squadron members and were normally fighting over something...

Later on, after visiting her home terra, Rose sat in her room at the Academy, reading a book, when a knock sounded on her door. Sighing, she set the book down and walked over, opening the door to find Luke outside.

"How'd you know this is my room?" she questioned, blushing slightly as all she was wearing was a pair of pajama pants and a spaghetti-strap shirt; she noticed that Luke was also blushing a bit.

"Asked the kid next door - he happens to be one of the kids from lunch. I was...wondering if I could talk with you about something..." he said, looking at her as if he really hoped she'd say yes.

"Come in..." Rose said, moving out of the doorway to let him through. Nodding, the blonde walked in almost nervously.

"Rose...I know what you are..." Luke said, seeing the girl's slightly shocked expression. "I know you're wondering how, but..." he stopped, sighing as he pulled out a Cloaking Crystal.

"Luke...what are you--" Rose stopped when he deactivated the crystal; she gasped, as he too was obviously a Vampire.

"I'm only half - dad was attacked a few years before I was born, and he was turned into one...Nobody except mom knows about that, and now you do..." Luke whispered, looking away a bit. "That's how I know...I could somehow sense you were one..."

"Wait...You mean...You can tell I'm a Vampire?" Rose asked, stepping closer to the blonde.

"I figured you probably left to get rid of a bloodlust...I don't have them very often, but I know when they come up, a person gets a bit jittery around humans..." Luke replied, looking into the girl's green eyes. "You're parents are really dead, are they?"

"No...In order to hide what they are - what I am - I have to lie...I found it's easier to avoid questions if I just said they're dead."

"Understandable...I...I came to ask a question..." Luke said, looking away.

"Go on..." Rose said.

"I...I was wondering if you could possibly see if your parents would let mom and dad stay on Terra Dark...Dad's secret was nearly found out, and if it does...he doesn't want to put me and mom in danger, so..."

"I can talk with them tomorrow, if it's alright. I'm sure dad won't mind, seeing as how he knows them." she stated, sitting down on her bed.

"Thanks...Well...I should probably get to my room before they start coming to check on everybody, making sure we're all in our own rooms and stuff." Luke said, heading to the door. Turning to face Rose, he smiled, then left. Rose sighed and lay down, thinking over how she'd tell her parents about this as she fell asleep...

MJ: There it is. If I get enough people saying so, I might do a sequel about Rose and Luke. So, please review and tell me what you think!


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